


Ignorance was Nice

by greasing



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Developing Relationship, M/M, depends on your point of view i guess!, fluff?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 21:25:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6025609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greasing/pseuds/greasing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A night out between missions doesn't go quite as expected.</p><p>Soul-searching and overly friendly touches ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ignorance was Nice

**Author's Note:**

> Truth be told, I don't really know what I'm doing! Vaguely going for some sort of character/relationship study.

The glaring neons were stinging his eyes, the loud music overpowered only by the noise of the people surrounding him. Even though so much was going on around him, Obi-Wan felt like he was in control. Currently, he was using that control to sit upright on the barstool, every other thought process a bit too much to handle. Someone leaned over his side to order a drink, which made him sway with the motion. Just barely registering the shouted apologies, he nodded in the general direction of the sound with a smile. Propping his elbows up on the counter, the jedi stared down into his empty glass. His mind felt calm in the midst of all the noise and movement. He closed his eyes, hard, trying to remember if there was something he was forgetting. Maybe, just maybe there actually wasn’t anything wrong this time? Nothing urgent, nothing that needed his full attention; no mission, no guidance seeking novice-

“Hello there,” a smooth voice with a thick accent interrupted his thoughts, before they could race. “Rough night?” 

He turned to see a humanoid creature sitting to the left of him.

“No, actually no,” Obi-Wan struggled, taken by surprise. “I was just, um, meditating.” 

This earned him a chuckle and a flash of pointed teeth.

“That’s like, a jedi thing?” They looked on in amusement as Obi-Wan shrugged and muttered an agreement, “I’m Pence by the way.”

They reached out a smooth skinned hand. Obi-Wan shook it firmly, smiled and gave his name in return. The alien swept a strand of their long hair behind a double set of ears, looking kind of expectedly at their new acquaintance. Obi-Wan just sort of grinned at them in a manner he hoped was at least endearing.

“So, can I offer you a drink, or have I misjudged this situation,” Pence asked arching a brow.

“Oh no, sure you can! That would be splendid,” the jedi responded eagerly. Right, flirting, how did you do that again? Obi-Wan fumbled in his seat as Pence ordered the drinks. He considered himself quite skilled when it came to picking up people at bars, but lately he’d gotten rusty. It had been a while since he screwed anybody, but it had also been a while since he really wanted to. Which was kind of strange, really. Obi-Wan subtly checked out the alien, who was now scooting two small glasses of sparkling liquid towards them from the other side of the counter. He could hear Anakin's voice inside his head calling them “objectively hot”. Obi-Wan would maybe settle for something along the lines of “cool”, but he figured that would do just fine.

A few glittery shots later Obi-Wan was wiping his mouth on the back of his hand rather inelegantly. Pence was in the middle of telling yet another genuinely amusing anecdote when the jedi noticed a familiar presence.

“Ani! Where have you been?” He greeted Anakin, who stalked closer to them, leaning in with his forearm on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Sorry for that interruption Pence, this is Anakin, my apprentice. Anakin, this is my friend Pence.”

“Hello” Anakin said coldly.

Pence looked at the newcomer, standing basically draped over the older man, from head to toe.

“You didn’t tell me you had an... _apprentice_ , Obi,” Pence said tilting their head to the side, with an amused smile on their dark lips.

“What? Yes I did! Like, a million times at least,” Obi-Wan said, mostly to himself, kind of concerned. “He’s like a part of my personality at this point. You ask for Obi-Wan Kenobi, you get me and the Skywalker kid. It’s practically unavoidable, no offence Ani. Or you know what, you can take offence for that.”

“I see,” Pence said quirking one out of four eyebrows, “I don’t really feel like getting mixed up in some galactic drama tonight, so I guess I’ll be getting on my way now.”

“Yeah, that might be for the best,” Anakin responded. For whatever reason, Obi-Wan wasn’t even mad or regretful as he watched Pence stand up.

“See you around then?” he offered an apologetic smile.

“Yeah, another time perhaps,” Pence smiled back. That was good. At least Obi-Wan didn’t have to worry about having wasted someone's time entirely. Pence shook his hand again, touch lingering this time.

“Nice leather tunic,” the alien said to Anakin and walked away.

Anakin claimed the now empty spot next to Obi-Wan and turned to order something. He seemed to lighten up now that Pence had left. His facial expression was more relaxed, not intimidating as Obi-Wan imagined it was when he’d been snapping at the alien. The coloured bar-lights made the padawan’s skin glow, accentuating his handsome profile. Anakin turned his head to meet his companions stare. Obi-Wan sighed.

“What did you do that for?” he whined half heartedly. “I feel like we’ve been over this a thousand times. We don’t have to live in freaking celibate, my guy. And you know it damn well.”

Anakin still stared at him.

“Would you fuck off with that.”

Obi-Wan ignored Anakin's lopsided grin at his words. The older man huddled up on himself, elbows on the counter once again. He lulled his head from side to side as he wondered where the peaceful quiet in his mind had gone. Glancing to his left he could make out Anakin drinking his space beer or whatever, thankfully no longer piercing Obi-Wan with those goddamn gaze-y eyes of his. He always had such a determined look on his face, a look which revealed his youthful, reckless nature. Obi-Wan pondered the way Anakin was a paradox; the man had decidedly experienced more than a commoner might during a lifetime, but still managed to remain as ignorant as ever.

“Master,” Anakin leaned closer, placing a hand on the older mans shoulder, “are you alright?”

The master in question looked him as straight in the eyes as his intoxication allowed. Anakin's expression was too condescending for his liking. He wasn't in the mood for whatever game his apprentice was playing. He was having a nice, bullshit free night, and this brat had to show his pretty face and ruin everything. Wasn’t that always the case, Obi-Wan reflected bitterly. He put his hand on the other’s neck, leaning in, almost knocking foreheads.

“I’m fine. Leave me be,” he said in a low voice. He broke eye contact and meant to get up, but instead managed to lose his balance before even standing up. He just sort of slumped down, resulting in him resting his head on Anakin's chest to steady himself. Quickly pulling back, Obi-Wan muttered something and left a smirking Anakin behind in the bar as he finally stood up, anything but graceful. He turned back again.

“No, wait - no,” Obi-Wan heaved Anakin up to his feet by the arm.

“I’m not going to let you ruin this for me,” he slurred, putting up a scolding finger to Anakin's chest, “we’re gonna have a good time, Ani. Real quality after-work. C’mon.”

As Obi-Wan dragged his padawan towards the dancefloor his mind finally shut up again. He didn’t know what he was doing, and, blissfully - he didn’t care anymore.

Anakin felt giddy. This was turning into an exciting night. He had spent most of his evening trying to get his master's attention, but all attempts had failed miserably. The other had apparently decided that this night was a night for silent reflection at the bar, only interacting with the barkeep. What’s the point in going to a club if you’re just going to sit in one spot and get hammered? So Anakin tried to have a good time on his own, glancing back to the bar now and then to see how his friend was doing. When the shifty alien started blatantly flirting with Obi-Wan, Anakin had decided a line needed to be drawn. But first he had to make out with that one mercenary who had been sending him looks all evening, just to spite everyone. 

It turned out that his suffering wasn’t in vain. Judging by Obi-Wan’s tight squeeze on his arm, Anakin had managed to strike some chord at last. Small victory, still a victory.

They had danced together before, on many occasions; often with other people, sometimes not. Anakin was usually the one to guide them into the center of the action, just to dance as if he didn’t care about anyone there. He was rarely the first one to initiate contact with a stranger, and always swayed effortlessly with the beat. Obi-Wan suspected he calculated every movement to look carefree, the poser. Anakin usually ended up with one or another dance partner nevertheless. Obi-Wan decided it was a weird thing, being in the presence of his long time ward doing that whole snaking his hips thing with random people. Not that he had any right or reason to interfere, but sometimes he felt that the kid was being a bit too much, generally. He wondered if other padawans ever kissed people in front of their mentors.


End file.
